Sunday, January 2, 2011

Retro: Kimmer

DETROIT'S PURPLE GANG: THE ALBION CONNECTION
TIME WON'T LET ME: THE OUTSIDERS!
RETRO: KIMMER'S 10 FAVORITE LPS OF 1969-1972
THE ULTRA COOL 1961 CORVAIR MONZA!

DETROIT'S PURPLE GANG: THE ALBION CONNECTION

Posted: 02 Jan 2011 09:36 PM PST

The Purple Gang

How did the Purple Gang get its colorful name? Legend has it that one day after members of what would become the Purple Gang had established their criminal ways of shoplifting and vandalizing youngsters in Detroit, two local shopkeepers were bemoaning their fate and the youngsters' characters. One of them concluded that the gang of delinquents was not like other boys, but 'rotten, purple like the color of bad

Albion Michigan Purple Gang Walking Tour
Albion shows off haunts of violent Purple Gang

Detroit, Michigan circa 1930

For their safe-robbing and other criminal work, the Fleishers used a specially enhanced gun-metal colored Graham-Paige sedan they had stolen, later described by state police as 'the most completely equipped burglar's automobile' ever seen. The car sported revolving license plates, bullet-proof glass,metal shields, and removable doors and seats to accommodate large safes. The Gang leased the south stall of the auto storage building just north of the junkyard along the river, and used it to secretly house their 'super auto.'

Detroit Boomtown

In the late 1920s, Detroit was a boomtown with a flourishing economy, newly built skyscrapers, and a burgeoning population. But those seemingly halcyon times were marred by bloodshed and terror caused by the Purple Gang, a loosely organized but ruthless group of predominantly Jewish racketeers, headed by the Burnstein brothers.

Real Deal Mafia The Purple Gang

Citizens were petrified to testify against them. Corrupt police officials, their hands greased by bribes, looked the other way.

During the apex of their power, 1927-32, the Purples were the kings of the underworld. The group is perhaps most notorious for the 1931 Collingwood Massacre (at Collingwood and Twelfth streets), in which the gang killed three members who were trying to start their own rackets.

Collingwood Manor After the Massacre

A victim of the Collingwood Manor Massacre (left), and the crowd that assembled after the Purple Gang violence.

Collingwood Manor Massacre

Read More on RK
Detroit's Purple Gang

TIME WON'T LET ME: THE OUTSIDERS!

Posted: 02 Jan 2011 04:15 PM PST

The Outsiders married the Motown sound and the British Invasion to generate a sound that featured horns, a Hammond B organ and a biting guitar. This sound would later influence groups started and directed by Jim Guercio which included the Buckinghams, Chicago, and other midwest pop bands.

You can even hear the Outsiders sound in the 80's band...Huey Lewis. The CD has other great cuts including the Isley Brothers remake of "Respectable" which landed in the Top 15. Had the Outsiders released this song right after Time Won't Let Me it would have made the Top 10.

Sonny Geraci still performs a night club act for casinos, cruises and corporate parties and is performing better than ever. Actually he is a much overlooked talent who comes in somewhere between Bobby Darin and Dean Martin.

The Outsiders were a rock band from Cleveland, Ohio. Founded and led by guitarist Tom King. The band is best known for its Top 5 hit "Time Won't Let Me" in early 1966, which peaked at #5 in the US, but the band had three other hit singles in 1966 and released a total of four albums in the mid-1960s.

They started in 1959 as Tom King And The Starfires. After the arrival of the Beatles they changed their sound and changed their name to The Outsiders. Signing to Capitol at the beginning of 1966 their first single Time Won't Let Me was a Number 5 pop hit. They scored 3 more Top Thirty hits that year. Singer Sonny Geraci was later in the band ("Precious and Few") Climax. Sonny in 2008

The Outsiders

The Outsiders had 4 top 40 hits. "Girl In Love" #21. "Help me Girl" #37. "Respectable" # 15 and "Time Won't let me" #5. These were all from 1966. Their third hit "Respectable" peaked at a respectable #15 in the National Billboard Top 100 charts, which disqualifies The Outsiders from being mere "one hit wonders".

The lead guitarist on the "Time Won't Let Me" recording, Joe Baldassarre, was a session guy in Cleveland, and now holds a Ph.D. in early civ music (as in medieval music) and is considered an international authority on said period music; he's a professor of guitar at Boise State University, in Boise Idaho.

Allmusic described the act's style: "Part of the secret behind the Outsiders' musical success lay in the group's embellishments [with horns and strings], which slotted in perfectly with their basic three- or four-piece instrumental sound. . .

This was the first hit for The Outsiders, who were a Cleveland group that scored 3 other US Top 40s in 1966. Their lead singer Sonny Geraci was also the lead singer for Climax, Jimmy Fox, who was the drummer on the Outsiders' first album, later formed The James Gang with Joe Walsh. Sonny is still cute!

Biography by Bruce Eder

Chances are that, despite their having come from Cleveland, OH -- and, thus, having a certain home field advantage -- the Outsiders will never be considered for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Bands with just two big hits ("Time Won't Let Me," "Respectable") and a history mostly confined to AM radio in the '60s don't seem to rate that kind of recognition. But if any two-hit, dance-oriented band from the '60s ever deserved a crack at being voted in, the Outsiders do, simply based on the quality of their work over three years and four albums. Full Story HERE

The Outsiders on Yahoo Music

Read More on RK
The Ventures
Alex Chilton and The Boxtops
The Righteous Brothers
Lou Christie
Three Dog Night

RETRO: KIMMER'S 10 FAVORITE LPS OF 1969-1972

Posted: 02 Jan 2011 02:49 PM PST

Kick Out the Jams is the first album by Detroit heavy-weights The MC5, released in 1969. It was recorded live at Detroit's Grande Ballroom over two nights, Devil's Night and Halloween, 1968. In 2003, the album was ranked number 294 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Which of course RK rates it much higher!

Kick Out the Jams MC5 Live at the Grande Ball Room

Derek and The Dominos

Released in 1970, Layla is one of the most known and loved rock songs of all time. Written by Eric Clapton, and released by his band Derek and the Dominos, Layla was inspired by Clapton's love for Pattie Boyd, the wife of George Harrison.

The Who Live at Leeds

Live at Leeds is The Who's first live album, and is their only live album that was released while the group was still recording and performing regularly. Initially released in the United States on 16 May 1970. As of 2005, the album is ranked number 170 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Deep Purple in Rock

Released in June 1970. It was their fourth studio album. Deep Purple in Rock was their breakthrough album in Europe and would peak at #4 in the UK, remaining in the charts for months. The album was supported by the hugely successful In Rock World Tour which lasted 15 months

Grand Funk Railroad LIVE Album

Grand Funk sold more than 25 MILLION records, toured constantly, packed arenas worldwide, and received four RIAA gold albums during 1970— the most for any American group that year.
GFR out sold The Beatles at NY's Shea Stadium and don't get me started about Mark Farner... :)

Led Zeppelin One

Led Zeppelin One was released on 12 January 1969. The album featured integral contributions from each of the group's four musicians and established Led Zeppelin's fusion of blues and rock.

In 2003, the album was ranked number 29 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Allman Brothers Live at Fillmore East

At Fillmore East is a double live album by The Allman Brothers Band. The band's breakthrough success, At Fillmore East was released in July 1971. It ranks Number 49 among Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and remains among the top-selling albums in the band's catalog. It is often cited as being one of the most well-known live recordings in history. It is a great album for certain.

Rolling Stones Exile On Main Street

Exile on Main St. Released as a double LP in May 1972, it draws on many genres including rock & roll, blues, country and soul and calypso. Exile on Main St. was initially greeted with mixed reviews, but it has since become almost universally regarded as a masterpiece.

In 2003, the album was ranked number 7 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

J Geils BLOODSHOT

Great funky album, with deep roots in blues-rock-R&B . Most of the songs here are my favorite dance tunes "Make Up Your Mind", "Southside Shuffle", and "Give It To Me".

Spirit Twelve Dreams of Dr Sardonicus

Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus album released in 1970 shortly before Spirit disbanded.

This diverse yet cohesive effort is a sci-fi-based, loose concept album. The album's second song is the key track "Nature's Way", the most notable hit (along with "I've Got a Line on You" – #28 in Canada) the band would ever produce. "Mr. Skin" also became a hit single in the U.S., three years after the album's release. The album also includes several other less well-known tunes which are considered to have had an impact on the genre of experimental rock in the United States. We girls absolutely loved this record...

THE ULTRA COOL 1961 CORVAIR MONZA!

Posted: 02 Jan 2011 12:18 PM PST

In 1960 or '61 (we can't recall) my mother helped out a friend and picked up the payments on a very cool Tuxedo Black Chevrolet Corvair Monza. The Monza made its debut with sportier bucket seats and a bigger flat 6 engine.This car was hot! Not a speedy car as my mom recalls but cool to drive. Mom says it was always in need of a new fan belt! Chevrolet introduced the Sebring Spider Coupe in 1961 to further enhance the sportier, concept image.

Sebring Spider Concept Car

The Monza (ours), was a two-door hardtop, tuxedo black with posh red interior and bucket seats. The 1961 engines were upped from 140 to 145 cubic inches. Our Corvair was a 4 speed stick that Mom says was like shifting upside down. It had your normal push button AM radio which was of course set to my favorite station CKLW THE BIG 8.

Our Monza looked a lot like this one below. I used to wash it with my dad and his chamois on the weekends when it was warm. Ours didn't have the cool sport wheels the one below has...

1962 Doug's Chevrolet Corvair

The Corvair Monza had the engine in the back compartment and the trunk in the front like a VW Beetle. Chevrolet had lots of problems with this car's design as Ralph Nader made famous in his book "Unsafe at Any Speed". Having the most weight behind the rear axle caused a lot of spin outs. We never did... but Mom did slide down an icy hill with ours once.

Awesome dashboard

By the time Nader's book was publish (1965) we no longer had the Monza. We then owned an Oldsmobile Dynamic 88. Dad later bought a very retro white VW bug.

1962 Doug's Chevrolet Corvair

The rear view of the Monza was so cool.

1962 Doug's Chevrolet Corvair

Our Monza had hot red interior just like the one above. Neither of us remeber the steering wheel in our Monza. I think if ours had been red I would have remembered that. Must have been black.

White Corvair 1961

This is a very nice white version but I still like the Tuxedo black much better...

1962 Doug's Chevrolet Corvair

Fun car to have as a kid! Here is a very neat slide show of Corvair sedans and station wagon Corvairs too.

[New post] Doctor Who Classics -The Seventies

Doctor Who Classics -The Seventies

dailypop | January 2, 2011 at 11:19 pm | Tags: cybermen, daleks, doctor who, matt smith, silurians, time lord, tom baker jon pertwe doctor who daleks cybermen | Categories: Doctor Who- 3rd Doctor, Doctor Who- 4th Doctor | URL: http://wp.me/p4kUt-2e2

What is a Doctor Who classic? To me a Doctor Who classic epitomizes its era, tells an intelligent and memorable story, has unusual visuals, and features above average performances. Doctor Who is the most mercurial and groundbreaking science fiction program of its kind, so already the bar is quite high for a story to rise from a crop of greatness. The 1970's is one of the most loved eras of Doctor Who, so selecting what I consider to be classics from this era is no easy task.

In my first of four installments, I explained that in my attempt to create a list of classic Doctor Who stories, I could neither align them from best to least best or limit myself to a small number. This is because of the massive amount of material and the shift from era to era that almost completely rewrote the direction of the program. For instance a great Jon Pertwee story would have no comparison to a great Peter Davison story and vice versa. I decided to break down the eras by decade and try to limit myself to a few select adventures and some notable ones.

I'm hoping the readers will be compelled to provide their own lists as well.

______________________________________________________________

Part One: Jon Pertwee

In the 1970's, Doctor Who took a massive shift as a program and attempted to pay homage to many successful styles such as the Quatermass series, James Bond, Hammer Horror and more. It's a varied era with some successful and less than successful innovations to keep the program appealing to a viewing family that was becoming more sophisticated as they aged and TV programing changed. For three years the Doctor was exiled to the planet Earth. Aligning himself with Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart whom he had met on previous adventures, he became the scientific advisor to U.N.I.T., an taskforce charged with the defense of the planet from alien threats. The Doctor was a stylish and erudite intellectual and dandy who constantly challenged the Brigadier's more conservative view. The two men clashed against each other producing some interesting stories (and other times seemed to completely alter their point of view depending on the script!). After saving the Time Lords from the power mad Omega, the Doctor regained his ability to control the TARDIS and was once more traveling through time and space, though he retained a connection to Earth and U.N.I.T.

This period saw the program's viewing figures skyrocket (they had sagged in the Troughton era) and Pertwee became a household icon. A colorful wizard-like guardian, his incarnation of the Doctor was inventive and sympathetic to outsiders and aliens. The Buddhist sensibilities of producer Barry Letts infused a kind of holistic view of the universe while script editor Terrance Dicks' near constant investigation of the New Scientist kept the program grounded in reality... unless it wasn't. The Pertwee era lasted five long years and featured some of the most varied quality the program would see until Tom Baker arrived, but when it worked it was the most intelligently crafted period of the program in my opinion (with the possible exception of series 18).

Spearhead from Space

By far the best regeneration story of the classic series (the only contender aside from Power of the Daleks is Castrovalva), Spearhead from Space saw the shift in tone into a down to Earth adventure series with military action thrown in. The alien threat is decidedly creepy, the Doctor is dashing and brilliant and the story full of great ideas such as an invasion taking place through toys and the man-eating plastic chair. This one was also heavily influenced by HP Lovecraft as it featured a bodiless alien entity travelling through space as thought energy rather than in a space craft (this had been seen before in the Abominable Snowmen/Web of Fear).

Carnival of Monsters

Robert Holmes is one of the all time best writers of Doctor Who and has contributed scripts for 5 of the 7 classic Doctors. Of all of his stories, I really like this one. It's a marvelous blend of comedy and science fiction along with social commentary which Russell T Davies got very excited about in 2005 but fumbled in comparison to the master of the craft. Trapped inside an absurd device along with blood-thirsty monsters and amnesiac humans used by a couple of vaudevillian entertainers, the Doctor's troubles really start when he escapes. This one has so much going on in it and Pertwee really acts well as a centerpiece of sanity to the madness all around him.

The Dæmons

The Master made quite an impression when he first appeared. A Time Lord just as resourceful and brilliant as the Doctor, only evil at heart. Soon the character became something of a comic strip villain, however and his signature tune played over an entire series of stories grew somewhat tiresome. Even so, The Dæmons was a real winner thanks to an impeccable script and the great Roger Delgado rising to the challenge once again. Explaining black magic and the occult as alien technology is a bit glib but very enjoyable. The script, location work and cast makes this one a true classic.

The Time Warrior

An ideal starting point for a new viewer and the perfect breathing point before everything changes, the Time Warrior introduces an excellent new monster, the Sontaran. Trapped in medieval England, the Sontaran captain Styre steals scientists from the future to repair his craft only to attract the Doctor's attention. Sarah Jane Smith tags along offering viewers a new point of view of the Doctor that is refreshing after three years of Jo Grant who happily tagged along to alien worlds. Again, Doctor Who's audience was growing more sophisticated demanding a companion who asked questions rather than blindly following orders. The Doctor was hardly bothered by Sarah Jane's attitude, however, and proved that he was every bit the hero that he claimed to be. A great adventure.

Honorable mentions:Five years of programming means more great stories, though there were some duds too. Some of the noteworthy tales include: Doctor Who and the Silurians, The Ambassadors of Death, Terror of the Autons, The Mind of Evil, Invasion of the Dinosaurs.

Silurians could be one of the most brilliant pieces of Doctor Who in the 70's. Written by Malcolm Hulke (who contributed many Doctor Who scripts), the adventure invented a new menace that was not an alien at all, but the original inhabitants of the planet. The pacing is a little slow and the story a bit to long, but the same can be said about many 60's and 70's Who adventures. Ambassadors of Death is an inspired action/espionage/alien invasion gone wrong story. Terror of the Autons saw a welcome return of the Nestene Consciousness and the first glimpse of the Master at his nastiest. I enjoy the multi-faceted plot of Mind of Evil involving the treatment of prisoners, international politics and terrorism along with a machine that forces one's deadliest fears into reality. I know many slate this one for many reasons, but Invasion of the Dinosaurs has one of the best first parts of Doctor Who full stop. The Doctor and Sarah Jane arrive in contemporary London only to find it deserted. The mystery surrounding the dinosaur attacks throughout the city is another great Hulke invention that is far more than a deadly plot.

______________________________________________________________

Part Two: Tom Baker

Relatively unknown actor Tom Baker was a risky casting decision as a replacement for Jon Pertwee, the man who had made Doctor Who so successful in the 1970's. Of course it turned out to be the beginning of the most important and popular era of the program's history as Baker made the role his own. When faced with the task of portraying a seven hundred odd year old alien, Baker decided to just play himself. Luckily Tom Baker a very eccentric and charismatic actor with a penchant for absurd humor. Returning monsters were rampant in Tom Baker's first series, perhaps to ensure a smooth transition from one actor to the next, but after that point there were very few old faces to be seen. Ten companions were featured, the Master revived twice over, the origin of the Daleks exposed and the Cybermen returned after a long hiatus during Baker's reign. With a handful of sweets, mad stare and colorful scarf, the new incarnation of the Doctor faced enemies with a fearless grin. The comedic element was greatly enhanced, often to the detriment of the drama on screen, but Baker's iconic image is what nearly anyone who has ever heard of Doctor Who thinks of when the program is mentioned.

The 4th Doctor's seven year-long era can be broken up into three portions according to the producer. Philip Hinchcliffe brought the Gothic horror elements and strong storytelling as well as an increase in on screen violence. Graham Williams had a taste for the wittier comedic touch while John Nathan Turner was assisted by Barry Letts and Christopher H. Bidmead in crafting a modern take on the sci-fi program that firmly established the series for the 1980's.

Genesis of the Daleks

Terry Nation's origin story for his Daleks is a major classic. A war story with pulp serial style cliffhangers and a crazed mutated scientist, this is a real golden story. On the planet Skaro, war has raged between the Thals and the Kaleds for generations, reducing the once mighty empires to shambles bent on genocide at any cost. Desperately searching for an end to the war, the twisted scientist Davros devises a method of victory that would forever change the universe. He creates the Daleks.

Only three stories into his reign on the program, Baker was challenged with a very moody script full of horrific imagery and violence that struck a cord with the viewers, war scenes depicted in slow motion while boy generals eagerly plotted their next move on the battlefield. While Elisabeth Sladen and Ian Marter are fantastic supporting actors, Michael Wisher and Tom Baker rule this story with gripping scenes full of quotable exchanges. Used sparingly, the Daleks are once again the terrifying monsters scaring little kiddies to their beds in tears.

Pyramids of Mars

The Hinchcliffe era is full of Gothic dramas that are somewhat repetitive and often derivative of the Hammer Horror films that they payed homage to. Nonetheless, Pyramids of Mars excels at creating an unforgettable mood and atmosphere that pervades the era with an even darker pall of doom and death. Set in the 1920's, an army of robotic mummies roam the countryside killing anyone who attempts to halt the rescue of Sutekh the destroyer, a being of incalculable power imprisoned on distant Mars. I often find that when I meet someone of my generation with even a vague memory of Doctor Who, this was one of the stories they had seen and it left them with a terribly scary impact. It's very simple in its goal, but boy does it deliver.

The Talons of Weng-Chiang

When Hinchliffe left Doctor Who, his last story was a real corker. A Victorian murder mystery involving a stage mesmerist, a killer dwarf, giant mutated rats and a scarred war criminal from the future, this one has it all. Along with Genesis if the Daleks, this story is often regarded as the best of Doctor Who full stop in fan polls. Eager to prove public opinion wrong, I had viewed the DVD with a skeptical eye only to find that it really is that good. Again the plot is rather basic and the goal of the story straight forward but the execution is absolutely flawless making the end result a treasure.

Warriors' Gate

I had to pick a story from Baker's final year on the program as it was so distinctively different and risky. In the two previous series Doctor Who had become nearly sophomoric in its humor and lead actor Tom Baker, the man most recognized for the success of the series at the time, had become his own worst enemy often sabotaging recordings with silly ideas or egocentric fits. For his final outing, the scripts were just amazing, the most innovative and serious-mindedly imaginative in ages. Warrior Gate was for me the pinnacle of this period. An adventure taking place at the nexus of two realities, the Doctor, Romana, K-9 and Adric encounter a slaving craft full of creatures called Tharils that can navigate the portals between realms. Cruelly tortured by an idiotic crew,one of the Tharils escapes to take the Doctor through the mirrors that line the nexus to show him the history of his people. The previously manic Baker is much more subdued and aged in this series, providing a level of development that we had never seen before in the character of the Doctor.

Witty, clever and gripping, this charming story has stunning visual design that stands up today as well as a superb supporting cast. It also saw the back end of Romana and K-9 who had long outlived their purpose in my opinion.

Honorable mentions: Terror of the Zygons, The Brain of Morbius, The Robots of Death, The Ribos Operation, City of Death, Meglos.

There are so many great Tom Baker stories and fond memories that I associate with them that it is nearly pointless to attempt to list them and this blog post is already very very long. Suffice to say that if you are a fan of Doctor Who there is something in this seven year stretch that you like and echoes of the modern era of Doctor Who abound for fans of the BBC Wales series.

______________________________________________________________

I am sure that I left out a lot of stories that are favorites of others (and my own) and hope that my readers will again chime in with their own lists. Remember, this blog is just me talking to myself without you.

More next time after Tom Baker departs and John Nathan Turner takes the reigns of Doctor Who for the last leg of classic Doctor Who.

Add a comment to this post